Water sports board carrying system

ABSTRACT

The water sports board carrying system is adaptable to paddle boards, surfboards, sailboards, and similar devices. The carrying system includes forward and rearward strap attachment fittings installed along one edge or rail of the board equidistant from a lateral line through the center of gravity of the board. This allows the board to be balanced when carried by a strap attached to each of the fittings. The strap attachment fittings are recessed into the edge of the board to preclude any protrusion that might catch on some article in use or injure a person carrying the board. An example of such strap attachment fittings comprise receptacles permanently secured into the board, having a diametric pin or rod installed across the space defined within each of the receptacles. The shoulder strap can have a snap hook at each end for removable attachment to the pin or rod in each receptacle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 62/139,608, filed Mar. 27, 2015.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to small personal watercraft,and particularly to a water sports board carrying system whereinpermanent fittings are provided along one edge of the board and flushtherewith for the removable attachment of a carrying strap.

2. Description of the Related Art

Individual water sports, e.g., paddle boarding, surfboarding,sailboarding, etc., are extremely popular, particularly along thecoastlines of various nations throughout the world. The various watersports boards used in these activities by necessity are relatively largeto provide sufficient buoyancy when being ridden, and as such, tend tobe somewhat massive, even when foam plastics and/or other lightweightmaterials are used in their construction. Such boards tend to besomewhat difficult to carry, particularly for smaller and lighter usersof such boards. They can be difficult to balance when being carried byhand, and their surface area makes them quite vulnerable to beingshifted around in the wind, particularly when carried on edge. A walk ofperhaps one hundred yards, more or less, may be sufficient to tire aperson carrying a relatively large and heavy board, particularly whentraversing a soft and/or uneven surface, such as beach sand.

Accordingly, a number of different devices have been developed for thecarriage of such water sports boards. These devices may be categorizedgenerally into two groups. One group comprises storage bags of variousconfigurations, the water sports board fitting inside the bag. The bagwill generally have one or more handles or straps for carriage, but thewater sports board does not attach to the bag, and as such, may stillshift within the bag. Moreover, the user still has the problem ofstorage of the bag when using the water sports board. Another group ofwater sports board carrying devices comprises a strap or series ofstraps that fit around the board. As in the case of the storage bags,these straps do not attach directly to the board, thus allowing theboard to shift position within the straps during carriage.

Thus, a water sports board carrying system solving the aforementionedproblems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The water sports board carrying system comprises first and second strapattach points permanently installed along one edge or rail of the watersports board. The two points are distributed equidistant fore and aftfrom a lateral line through the longitudinal center of gravity of theboard, in order for the board to balance easily when suspended from thetwo points. A shoulder strap or the like is removably attached to eachof the strap attach points for supporting the board upon the shoulder ofa person for carrying the board. The strap is preferably adjustable inlength, and preferably includes a shoulder pad. The strap attachmentpoints in the board are flush mounted in one edge of the board, i.e.,with no protrusion extending beyond the outline of the edge of theboard, in order to preclude catching or interfering with some object(e.g., a paddle) or injuring a person carrying or using the board.

The board may comprise a paddle board, surfboard, sailboard, or othersmall, light, personal water sports board, or even a single place kayakor the like. An exemplary strap attach point comprises a socket orreceptacle that is permanently set into the edge of the board, and adiametric pin or rod extending across the open space within thereceptacle. The strap can include a snap hook or other suitableremovable fastener at each end thereof for removably securing the strapto the pin or rod within the receptacle. Thus, there is no structureprotruding beyond the edge of the board when the strap is removed. Otherstrap attachment configurations are also envisioned, e.g., recessed eyebolts, swivel-mounted attachment lugs or pins that retract beneath theedge of the board when not in use, etc.

These and other features of the present invention will become readilyapparent upon further review of the following specification anddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a water sports boardcarrying system according to the present invention, illustrating itsfunction and use.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the water sports board carrying systemaccording to the present invention, illustrating further detailsthereof.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the water sports board carrying systemaccording to the present invention, illustrating further detailsthereof.

FIG. 4 is a detailed elevation view in section, showing the installationof a strap attachment in the water sports board carrying systemaccording to the present invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistentlythroughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The water sports board carrying system comprises forward and rearwardattachment points installed along one edge or rail of a water sportsboard, e.g., surfboard, paddle board, etc. The two attachment points arespaced equidistant fore and aft from the center of gravity of the board.An adjustable strap is removably secured to the two attachment points toenable a person to carry the board by slinging the strap over a shoulderor otherwise supporting the strap.

FIG. 1 of the drawings provides an environmental perspective view of anexemplary paddle board 10 being carried by means of the carrying system,while FIG. 2 provides a top plan view of the board 10 to show thespacing or positioning of the two strap attachment points relative tothe center of gravity of the board 10. The board 10 has a longitudinalcenter of gravity CG about which the board 10 balances longitudinally,the lateral axis L of the board 10 passing through the center of gravityCG, as shown in FIG. 2. The board 10 also has mutually laterally opposedfirst and second side rails or edges 12 a and 12 b. First and secondcarrying strap attachment points 14 a and 14 b are set into the firstside rail 12 a. Alternatively, the second side rail 12 b can contain theattachment points, if desired.

The first carrying strap attachment point 14 a is located a distance D1forward of the lateral axis L. The second carrying strap attachmentpoint 14 b is located a distance D2 rearward of the lateral axis L. Thetwo distances D1 and D2 are equal to one another. Thus, the board 10 isbalanced longitudinally when supported from the two attachment points 14a and 14 b. A carrying strap 16 is removably secured to the twoattachment points 14 a and 14 b, enabling a person carrying the board 10to support the board 10 easily without undue strain that might otherwisearise due to having to exert additional effort to support or direct oneend or the other of the board 10.

The carrying strap 16 is adjustable in length, as indicated by thealternative broken line showing of the strap 16 in FIG. 2. The strap 16is adjusted by means of a buckle 18 installed along a portion of thestrap 16, the free end 20 of the strap 16 adjustably passing through thebuckle 18, generally as indicated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Alternativeadjustment means, e.g., hook and loop fabric material, snaps, etc., canbe provided, if desired. The strap 16 also preferably includes ashoulder pad 22 adjustably positioned thereon. The strap 16 has mutuallyopposed first and second ends 24 a and 24 b, respectively, and a snaphook fastener 26 (e.g., a hook with a spring closure, or other suitableeasily removed and installed fastener) extending from each of the ends24 a, 24 b.

The perspective view of FIG. 3 provides a better view of the first andsecond strap attachment points 14 a and 14 b, the detail section view ofFIG. 4 providing further detail of an exemplary strap attachment point.(The strap attachment point shown in section in FIG. 4 is designated asstrap attachment point 14 a, 14 b, as the two strap attachment pointsare identical to one another and only differ in their installedlocations in the board 10.) Each of the strap attachment points 14 a, 14b comprises a receptacle 28 that is permanently and immovably set into acooperating blind hole 30 formed through the outer surface 32(fiberglass, carbon fiber, plastic, and/or other composite material) andinto the core material 34 of the board 10 along an edge of the board 10.The blind holes 30 are formed sufficiently deep to allow the outer rims36 of the receptacle 28 to be set flush with the outer surface 32 of theboard 10, so that no portion of the receptacle 28 extends above theouter surface 32. This obviates any potential hazard of some portion ofthe receptacles 28 catching on a paddle P (FIG. 1) during use, orperhaps catching on the skin or clothing of a person using or carryingthe board 10. The lower portion of each of the receptacles 28 caninclude a plurality of radially disposed flanges 38 to provide moresecure anchoring of the receptacles into the material of the board 10when the receptacles 28 are installed into the board 10, e.g., usingepoxy, polyester resin, or other suitable agent or material.

Each of the receptacles 28 includes a diametric pin 40 extendingthereacross, the pins 40 being disposed below the level of the outerrims 36 of the receptacles 28 for the reasons noted above, therebyproviding for the flush setting of the outer rims 36 of the tworeceptacles 28 with the outer surface 32 of the board 10. The pins 40provide for the removable attachment of the snap hook fasteners 24 ofthe carrying strap 16 to the board 10. It will be seen that other meansof attaching the snap hooks 24 to the board 10 can be provided, e.g.,retractable lugs, recessed eye bolts, etc.

The above-described system for carrying a water sports board greatlyfacilitates the carriage of such boards and devices, e.g., one-personkayaks, surfboards, sailboards, etc. The person using the board, e.g., apaddleboard 10, need only clip or otherwise secure the first and secondfasteners or hooks 26 at the corresponding ends 24 a, 24 b of the strap16 to the recessed pins 40 of the corresponding receptacles 28 of thestrap attachment points 14 a and 14 b, optionally adjusting the lengthof the strap 16 by means of the buckle 18 and free end 20 of the strap16. The user of the board 10 may then pick up the board 10 by theattached strap 16 and sling the strap 16 over his or her shoulder, asshown in FIG. 1, or otherwise carry the suspended board 10. The board 10remains evenly balanced fore and aft due to the equidistant spacing ofthe two strap attachment points 14 a, 14 b from the lateral axis Lthrough the center of gravity CG of the board 10. When the board 10 hasbeen carried to the desired location, the strap 16 can be removed byunclipping the two fasteners or hooks 26 from the pins 40 within thestrap attachment receptacles 28 of the strap attachment points 14 a, 14b, readying the board 10 for use. When use of the board 10 has beencompleted for the day, the strap 16 can be reattached, as describedfurther above. It will be seen that the strap 16 also provides a handymeans of suspending the board 10 for storage, e.g., from a hook(s) on awall or other suspension point(s), when not in use.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to theembodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodimentswithin the scope of the following claims.

I claim:
 1. A water sports board carrying system, comprising: a watersports board having a longitudinal center of gravity, a lateral axisthrough the center of gravity, and mutually opposed first and secondside rails; a first carrying strap attachment point disposed in thefirst side rail forward of the lateral axis, the first carrying strapattachment point and the lateral axis defining a first distancetherebetween; a second carrying strap attachment point disposed in thefirst side rail rearward of the lateral axis, the second carrying strapattachment point and the lateral axis defining a second distancetherebetween, the first distance being equal to the second distance; anda carrying strap removably attached to each of the carrying strapattachment points.
 2. The water sports board carrying system accordingto claim 1, wherein the water sports board has an outer surface; thefirst carrying strap attachment point comprises a first receptacledisposed in the first side rail, the first receptacle having an outerrim; and the second carrying strap attachment point comprises a secondreceptacle disposed in the first side rail, the second receptacle havingan outer rim, the outer rim of the receptacles being disposed flush withthe outer surface of the first side rail.
 3. The water sports boardcarrying system according to claim 2, further comprising a pin disposeddiametrically within each said receptacle below the outer rim thereof.4. The water sports board carrying system according to claim 1, whereinthe carrying strap has mutually opposed first and second ends, each ofthe ends of the carrying strap having a snap hook extending therefrom.5. The water sports board carrying system according to claim 1, whereinthe carrying strap is adjustable in length.
 6. The water sports boardcarrying system according to claim 1, further comprising a shoulder paddisposed upon the carrying strap.
 7. A water sports board carryingsystem, comprising: a water sports board having an outer surface andmutually opposed first and second side rails; a first carrying strapattachment receptacle disposed in the first side rail, the firstcarrying strap attachment receptacle having an outer rim and a fastenerreceiver disposed below the rim; and a second carrying strap attachmentreceptacle disposed in the first side rail rearward of the firstcarrying strap attachment receptacle, the second carrying strapattachment receptacle having an outer rim and a fastener receiverdisposed below the rim, the outer rim of each of the carrying strapattachment receptacles being disposed flush with the outer surface ofthe first side rail, the first and second carrying strap attachmentreceptacles being adapted for attachment of fasteners at opposing endsof an elongate carrying strap to the fastener receivers.
 8. The watersports board carrying system according to claim 7, wherein: the watersports board has a longitudinal center of gravity and a lateral axisthrough the center of gravity; the first carrying strap attachmentreceptacle is disposed forward of the lateral axis, the first carryingstrap attachment receptacle and the lateral axis defining a firstdistance therebetween; and the second carrying strap attachmentreceptacle is disposed rearward of the lateral axis, the second carryingstrap attachment receptacle and the lateral axis defining a seconddistance therebetween, the first distance being equal to the seconddistance.
 9. The water sports board carrying system according to claim7, wherein each said fastener receiver comprises a pin disposeddiametrically within each said receptacle below the outer rim thereof.10. The water sports board carrying system according to claim 9, furthercomprising an elongate carrying strap having mutually opposed first andsecond ends, each of the ends of the carrying strap having a fastenerextending therefrom.
 11. The water sports board carrying systemaccording to claim 10, wherein said fastener comprises a snap hookattachable to the pin extending diametrically across the correspondingreceptacle.
 12. The water sports board carrying system according toclaim 10, wherein the carrying strap is adjustable in length.
 13. Thewater sports board carrying system according to claim 10, furthercomprising a shoulder pad disposed upon the carrying strap.